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To prevent bacterial growth inside the machine from forming and to remove dirt that may have accumulated inside, it is recommended to clean the Degritter after every 250 washing cycles.

1. Add 6-8 ml of the machine cleaning fluid to the filled water tank. Run “Program 1” three times without drying.
2. During the third cycle pause the machine. Let the liquid settle for 10 minutes. Resume the program and pump the liquid out into the water tank.
3. Using a toothbrush, gently scrub the inside of the ultrasonic tank. Be careful around the water level sensor pins.
4. Remove the filter cap and brush the opening. Remove the filter from the filter grid. Lightly brush the filter grid and rinse it thoroughly under running water. Change filter.
5. Rinse the machine three times with clean distilled water, using “Program 1” without drying. After each rinse cycle empty the water tank and refill it with fresh, clean distilled water.
6. Remove the water tank and rinse it thoroughly with clean water before reinstalling it.

Yes, you can try out your own cleaning fluid, but avoid pH extreme solutions, such as very high acidity or very alkaline chemicals.

Do not use fluids that increase foaming. Excessive foaming in the machine can cause water level sensors to give inaccurate readings. When experimenting, start with small amounts like 0.1 ml per water tank and test to see if the foaming has increased or not. When the foaming becomes a problem, revert back to pure water.

Based on the experience of multiple customers of ours, we can say that cleaning shellac records in Degritter is safe for the records when no cleaning fluid is used. When cleaning shellac records run the programs with pure purified water.

We have not conclusively tested cleaning lacquer-acetate records with Degritter. Still, running them through cleaning programs with pure water, without the fluid will likely do them no harm.

We do not recommend cleaning picture discs with the Degritter. While some customers have successfully cleaned their picture discs without issues, others have reported surface damage, such as a bubbling effect, after ultrasonic cleaning. Since not all picture discs are made the same—some being more delicate than others—we urge you to proceed with caution.

The ultrasonic cleaning in Degritter machines can normally be detected by an accompanying hissing sound that resembles white noise. This is best heard during the Degas program when the machine turns the ultrasonic cleaning on and off with about 7-10s intervals.

If there is doubt if the ultrasonic cleaning on the Degritter is working properly, then the following characteristics of the machine can be checked.

Temperature must rise

The ultrasonic cleaning in Degritter is using about 300W of power. Large portion of this will be converted to heat eventually and when the ultrasonic cleaning is working properly, the machine will heat up during use. After running 1-2 Heavy washing cycles check the machine temperature in the Info section of the menu. If the machine is working properly, then the second temperature value should have exceeded 28 °C with the first Heavy wash and 30 °C with the second.

Check power consumption

Measure the power consumption of the machine with a wattmeter. Cheap and simple wattmeter devices will plug into wall outlet and electrical devices can be connected to them. Wattmeters have an LCD display on it that will show the power consumption of the connected device, these can be purchased either from a local hardware store or from online. When the ultrasonic cleaning is turned on, the Degritter machine with properly working ultrasonic cleaning will take about 300W of power.

If the temperature in the machine does not rise or if the machine has very low power consumption, contact support@degritter.com.

Degritter machine is using 300W of power for its ultrasonic cleaning. Most of this will be eventually converted to heat that will slowly raise the water temperature in the ultrasonic cleaning tank. Once the water temperature reaches 35 °C or 95 °F, the machine will insert a 3 min water cooling cycle into the washing program. This is done to prevent damage to the record from too high temperatures.

It is normal for the machine to reach the water temperature threshold after 1-2 Heavy washing cycles.

In order to reduce water cooling cycles:

• Fill the removable water tank with as much water as you feel safe carrying. The more the better.
• Set a longer drying cycle with a lower Fan Power setting. This will give water more time to cool between washing cycles.
• When operating the machine remove the lid from the water tank.
• Use two water tanks when cleaning a larger number of records. Swap water tanks between cycles, so that one tank can cool while the other one is in use.
• Place a distilled water ice cubes or a small ice pack in the removable water tank while the machine is in use.

Most common leaks originate from either the filter cap or from the removable water tank and the machine connection. Both of these can result in water dripping from underneath the machine.

Filter cap leak
Remove the filter cap and make sure that the cap has a 2mm thick O-ring seal around it. When inserting it back into the machine take care to screw it all the way in.

Leak from the water tank connection
In order to prevent water from leaking from the water tank connection, make sure to press down slightly on the water tank when inserting it. This is to make sure that the water tank is all the way in. If a second water tank is available, try using the machine with a different tank. This is to exclude the possibility of faulty water tank connection.

A bit of water in the bottom of the machine will not harm the electronics inside, but it should still be prevented. Before using the machine, switch it off from the AC switch and disconnect the power cable from the wall. Remove the water tank from the machine. Pick the machine up and tilt it 90 degrees from side to side to drain the chassis. Once this has been done, the machine can be turned on again.

If the water leaks persists, contact support@degritter.com.

It is normal to have small amounts of foam on the record during the washing cycle, but if the machine is generating too much foam, then it can cause water droplets running down on the record label.

To prevent foaming:

• Turn off the machine from the switch at the back when replacing the water tank. Turning the machine off and on from the switch will start the machine boot up with priming. Properly primed pumps will generate less foam.
• Make sure that the removable water tank is all the way in. Press it gently after the tank has been inserted.
• Fill the removable water tank with as much water as you feel comfortable carrying.
• Make sure that the filter has not clogged. Clean the filter after every 50 cycles.
• Set the water level setting to Medium. The surface skimming filtration is pulling water into the filter quite close to the water line. In rare cases the Low water level setting can cause the filtration pump to suck in air which will cause additional foaming.
• Try using less cleaning fluid.

When the records in the machine tend to tilt to one side and rub against the rubber gasket that is around the record insertion slot, then most likely there is a problem with the alignment of the plastic rollers located at the top right side of the machine, that revolves the record.

To solve the issue, remove the rubber gasket from around the record insertion slot. Use a large flat headed screwdriver to shift the roller on the top right side of the machine on its shaft slightly. The shaft of this roller is connected to a motor driving the belt drive and the roller has been placed on the shaft with a tight fit. It is possible to move the roller’s position slightly by pressing on its sides with a screwdriver.

Before inserting anything into the Degritter make sure that the device has been turned off from the AC switch at the back and also detach the power cable from the machine.

On some occasions, during the washing cycle, the side of the record exiting the ultrasonic cleaning tank can look almost dry. The cleaning fluid acting as a surfactant together with the back and forth movement of the record can cause almost all the water to flow off. When the water level inside the ultrasonic cleaning tank is close to the label during washing, then there is no reason to be alarmed.

When thick 180g or 200g records do not sit properly in the record insertion slot and tend to get stuck, then the record revolving plastic rollers located at the bottom of the ultrasonic cleaning tank may have too small gap set for them.

To solve the issue, turn off the Degritter from the AC switch at the back. Remove the rubber gasket from around the record insertion slot. Place a thick record in the record revolving rollers while peering inside the machine. Try to determine which roller is causing the record to get stuck.

Once the problematic roller has been found, take a large flat headed screwdriver and place at the center of the roller, at the groove where the record sits. Twist the screwdriver by a small degree to force the sides of the roller slightly apart. The two rollers at the bottom are made of two conjoined sides sitting on one shaft.

Increase the roller groove width by very small increments and test it with the record. Driving roller sides too far from each other will cause the roller to wedge itself stuck in the belt drive assembly.

Before inserting anything into the Degritter make sure that the device has been turned off from the AC switch at the back and also detach the power cable from the machine.

Water droplets on record after the drying cycle can be caused by insufficient drying time, too high fan power setting, small amounts of water being left in the ultrasonic cleaning tank at the end of the washing cycle, or by a valve leaking water back into the ultrasonic cleaning tank.

Maximum Fan Power setting can on rare occasions throw up a few drops of water that has been left at the ultrasonic cleaning tank. The drying program will eventually dry these off but it can cause trouble when trying to set precise drying length.

In order for the machine to pump out all the water from the ultrasonic cleaning tank, it is important for the filter to be sufficiently clean. With a clogged filter, some of the water can get trapped and will seep through to the ultrasonic cleaning tank later while the machine is drying the record.

If the issue persists, then the cause may also be a clogged valve that leaks a small amount of water back into the cleaning tank. To clean the valve, try starting a washing program and cancel it by pressing the leftmost button after 5 seconds to start the draining process. Repeat start and cancel procedures for 5-10 times. Pumping water back and forth may clean the valve from debris stuck in there. If this solves the issue, then clean the machine with vinegar as described above.

If the water from the removable water tank is slowly leaking into the ultrasonic cleaning tank, then it indicates that the valve separating the tanks is letting small amounts of water through. This can be caused by debris stuck in the valve.

To clean the valve, try starting a washing program and cancel it by pressing the leftmost button after 5 seconds to start the draining process. Repeat start and cancel procedures for 5-10 times. Pumping water back and forth may clean the valve from debris stuck in there. If this solves the issue, then clean the machine with vinegar as described above.

If the machine has developed a fault that does not allow it to be turned on, but there is water left in the ultrasonic cleaning tank inside the machine, then removing the water will be necessary before debugging or shipping the machine.

To remove the water from inside the cleaning tank, first detach power cable from the machine and place the Degritter on a water proof surface. Remove the filter cap and the filter housing from the machine. Face the machine and start very slowly tilting it to the right, by raising the left side of the Degritter. Eventually the water will start flowing through the filtration port out from the machine.

It is also beneficial to remove the right side panel from the machine as some of the water may flow over the ultrasonic cleaning tank and exit through there.

This is normal. During the washing cycles, the machine is monitoring the water level and will make small adjustments when necessary. In order to adjust the water level a valve is opened and this makes the clicking sound.

The machine is monitoring the temperature of its internals once the internal temperature. Once the temperature exceeds 28 °C or 83 °F, the machine will cool itself to better prepare for the next washing cycle, even while in idle mode. The fans will stop automatically when the temperature has been sufficiently lowered.

The issue is caused by a rare glitch in the software. Restarting the unit will solve it.

During the machine’s transport, sections of its memory have been exposed to strong electromagnetic interference. Flashing the software again from the SD card will solve the issue.

An automated testing program has been accidentally enabled from the menu. Turning the machine off from the switch at the back, waiting 10s for the capacitors to discharge and turning the machine back on again will disable this function.

Add Water warning is displayed when there is not enough water in the removable water tank to fill the ultrasonic cleaning tank. Water will evaporate during washing and drying cycles and the water tank will need topping up.

If there is enough water in the water tank, then it can indicate that the removable water tank has not been inserted properly and the machine is having trouble pumping sufficient amounts of water from there.

When previous cases have been checked, then the cause may be a clogged pump or valve. Try starting a washing program and cancel it by pressing the leftmost button after 5 seconds to start the draining process. Repeat start and cancel procedures for 5-10 times. Pumping water back and forth may jumpstart valve or pump. If this solves the issue, then clean the machine with vinegar as described above.

No Water warning is presented when the machine is unable to detect water at the start of the program.

This can be caused by a removable water tank that has not been inserted properly so that the machine is having trouble pumping sufficient amounts of water from there.

It may also be caused by a clogged pump or valve. Try starting a washing program and cancel it by pressing the leftmost button after 5 seconds to start the draining process. Repeat start and cancel procedures for 5-10 times. Pumping water back and forth may jumpstart valve or pump. If this solves the issue, then clean the machine with vinegar as described above.

Drain Fail warning is presented when the machine is unable to verify that the ultrasonic cleaning tank has been properly emptied.

The issue may be caused by a clogged pump or valve. Try starting a washing program and cancel it by pressing the leftmost button after 5 seconds to start the draining process. Repeat start and cancel procedures for 5-10 times. Pumping water back and forth may jumpstart valve or pump. If this solves the issue, then clean the machine with vinegar as described above.

Warnings ERR Sens4 or ERR Sens5 indicate that the machine has failed to properly detect upper water level in the ultrasonic cleaning tank.

The Degritter has three pairs of water level sensing pins near the top of the ultrasonic cleaning tank. These are visible when the rubber gasket has been removed from around the the record insertion slot. The issue can be caused by either excessive foaming that has left some foam on the pins once the water is pumped out, the pins that have become dirty and need cleaning, or by slight misalignment of the angle of the pins.

For cleaning the pins, turn the Degritter off from the AC switch at the back off the machine and detach the power cable. Remove the rubber gasket from around the record insertion slot and locate the water level sensing pins near the top of the ultrasonic cleaning tank. Clean the pins by gently rubbing them with a toothbrush that has been wetted in a bathroom cleaning agent. Take care not to bend the pins. Rinse the toothbrush and remove the leftover cleaning agent from the pins by toothbrush wetted in purified water. Follow up with 2-3 Quick washing cycles without a record to clean the ultrasonic cleaning tank and replace the water before cleaning records.

For adjusting the water sensing pins alignment refer to the Guide for troubleshooting: ERR Sens4 & ERR Sens5 manual.

The machine is unable to detect either Water Tank 1 or 2 in its compartment. Make sure that the water tank has been inserted and is properly seated in its place.

Some of the water from either Tank 1 or 2 has either evaporated or has been used for filling large active carbon filters. The tank water level has dropped to a level where the machine is unable to fill the cleaning tank with sufficient water. Add water to the tank (1 or 2 depending on the warning).

This indicates that additional water has been pumped to the tank and the water tank is too full. To solve this problem, remove the water tank and pour away some of its contents.

If the brush is pressing too firmly against the record, the brush motor can go into limp mode and temporarily turn itself off. Reduce the brush tension by turning the adjustment screw a few clicks counterclockwise.

If the brush is pressing too firmly against the record, the brush motor can go into limp mode and temporarily turn itself off. Reduce the brush tension by turning the adjustment screw a few clicks counterclockwise.

The ultrasonic cleaning in Fonoteek machines can normally be detected by an accompanying hissing sound that resembles white noise. This is only audible during the ultrasonic cleaning phase of the program. If there is doubt that Fonoteek’s ultrasonic cleaning is not working properly then you can check the power consumption of the machine.

Check power consumption

Measure the power consumption of the machine with a wattmeter. Cheap and simple wattmeter devices will plug into a wall outlet and electrical devices can be connected to them. Wattmeters have an LCD display on it that will show the power consumption of the connected device, these can be purchased either from a local hardware store or online. A Fonoteek machine with a turned on properly working ultrasonic cleaning will use about 350W of power.

If the machine has very low power consumption, contact support@degritter.com.

Most common leaks originate from the removable water tank and the machine connection. Both of these can result in water dripping from underneath the machine.

Leak from the water tank connection

In order to prevent water from leaking from the water tank connection, remove the tank and insert it again. Make sure to press down slightly on the water tank when inserting it. This is to make sure that the water tank is all the way in.

A bit of water in the bottom of the machine will not harm the electronics inside, but it should still be prevented. Before using the machine, switch it off from the AC switch and disconnect the power cable from the wall. Remove the water tank from the machine. Open the front panel and dry off any water drops that have flown there.

Water tank has a small leak

Make sure the tanks are properly seated in the machine. Press the water tanks further into the machine, remove the ultrasonic cleaning tank cover and run a program without a record.

Check if the ultrasonic cleaning tank is emptied and filled properly after every cycle. If the water tanks are not properly seated in the machine, the water flow to and from them will be restricted and can prevent the ultrasonic cleaning tank from being properly emptied after cycles.

If the water tanks persists, contact support@degritter.com.

It is normal to see small amounts of foam on the record during the washing cycle. However, excessive foam may cause water droplets to run down onto the record label.

To prevent foaming:

• Make sure that the machine is perfectly level. Excessive tilt can cause the machine to draw air into its filtration system.
• Make sure that the filter has not clogged. Clean the filter after every 200 cycles.

When the record in the machine tilts to one side and rubs against the rubber gasket that is around the record insertion sloth, then most likely there is a problem with the gasket alignment. Try adjusting the gasket’s position on the cover plate.

Water droplets on the record after the drying cycle can be caused by insufficient drying time, too high fan power setting or small amounts of water being left in the cleaning tank at the end of the washing cycle.

Maximum Fan Power setting can on rare occasions throw up a few drops of water that has been left in the cleaning tank. The drying program will eventually dry these off, but it can cause trouble when trying to set precis drying length.

On some occasions, during the washing cycle, the side of the record exiting the ultrasonic cleaning tank can look almost dry. The cleaning fluid acting as a surfactant together with the back and forth movement of the record can cause almost all the water to flow off.

When the water level inside the ultrasonic cleaning tank is close to the label during washing, then there is no reason to be alarmed.

This is normal. During the washing cycles, the machine monitors the water level and will make small adjustments when necessary. In order to adjust the water level, a valve is opened an this makes the clicking sound.

The machine monitors the temperature of its internals. Once the temperature exceeds 28°C or 83°F, the machine will cool itself to better prepare for the next washing cycle, even while in idle mode. The fans will stop automatically when the temperature has been sufficiently lowered.

During the machine’s transports, sections of its memory may have been exposed to strong electromagnetic interference. Flashing the software again from the SD card will solve the issue.

If the machine display is no longer powering on, there is a small chance that sections of its memory have been corrupted. Try flashing the software again from the SD card.

The machine has detected water at the bottom of its compartment.

Turn off the machine from the switch at the back. Remove the front panel and check the bottom of the machine. Verify the removable water tank connections. Imperfect water tank connection can result in a small water leak.

If there are accidental few drops, make sure to dry the bottom of the machine and the water detection sensor. The sensor is a comb like structure at the bottom of the machine. You can use a hair dryer for drying it.

If the water leaks persists, contact support@degritter.com.

Some water or foam has gotten on on the water sensor pcb, making it difficult for the machine to detect correct water levels. Use a hairdryer to dry out the sensor pcb board. If the issue persists, contact support@degritter.com for help.

The warning indicates that the connection between the machine’s control board and the ultrasonic generator has failed. Please restart the unit manually from the back panel, wait 10 seconds and turn the machine on again. If the issue persists, contact support@degritter.com for help.

The high pressure pump has accidentally induced high pressure into the valve system, trapping the valves. The pressure will drop over time and the issue will resolve itself, but may take hours. Restarting the machine may help. If the issue persists, contact support@degritter.com for help.

On rare occasions, filter flushing may not remove loose sediment from the filters the way it should have. In order to test if this is the case, do the following:

• Configure custom program C1 to only do a maximum amount of rinsing (set brushes bar, ultrasonic bar and drying to 0).
• Run this program 5 times with no record in the machine.
• Remove the rinse water tank from the machine and look at it under a light to see if it has sediment in it.
• If needed, replace rinse water.
• Run the same rinse cycle with an old record to see if any lines are left on the record.

Both of the tanks are being filtered. The tank 1 and tank 2 go through a filter mesh when the water is being transferred into the ultrasonic tank. However, only tank 2 is being filtered through the BRITA filters when the water is pumped out.